So i've been doing my shoulder pre-hab exercises for a few months now, and am improving, but something i still struggle with is preventing the upper traps from taking over, particularly during facepulls and scap push-ups, and I'm not really sure how i can inhibit them. I've tried this stretch http://www.exrx.net/Stretches/TrapeziusUpper/Trap.html but i can only seem to feel it in the splenius, and never in the upper traps. Any tips? Should i just be doing some kind of thoracic mobility drills?

What kind of other shoulder exercises have you done? Many shoulder-related moves also activate the upper traps, no matter what.

I think there is no dominance-relation to shoulder-traps axel. I think It's more like upper-lower trap dominance in some back exercises that is more possible. The trap is practically three-parted. The upper trap, yoke or whatever you like to call it, originates from your skull, linea nuchae and the first cranial spine ligaments to be exact. It inserts near the acromion. So it's main function is the elevation and stabilization of the scapula.

Seperating shoulder and trap work is simple in theory. None of the rotatory cuff or deltoid -muscles actually adduct the scapula, nor lower or elevate it too much. They rotate and move the humerus. But many exercises still have an effect to the traps as well, as in most cases the ROM has also scapular adduction or stabilization.

How sure are you about the stretch feeling only in your splenius? The muscles go almost back to back in your neck.

So I have no straight answer, as I'm not an expert on shoulderbusiness, but this is the anatomical and functional view.

yes you should be doing some thoracic mobility stuff, everyone should. More on that later...

Upper trap dominance is a nightmare, and affects the majority of lifters (at least recreational ones with posture issues...). If you find your upper traps are taking over on face pulls, you need to lower the weight right down and concentrate on really squeezing your shoulder blades back and down at the top of each rep. Make sure there's no shrugging. As for the scap push ups, just be very careful not to shrug your shoulders. Doing the reps a bit slower will probably help that.

How is your form on your rows? Are you keeping an arch in your back when doing your reps? I'm thinking probably not. Fix that. Also, look up an exercise known as prone scap raises, and a mobility drill called YTWLIs. Both of these should be mainstays in your program from now on.

As for not feeling the trap stretch in the right place, I know what you mean as I have had this issue myself. Make sure to keep really good upper back posture when doing the stretch, and play around with different head positions til you feel the stretch in the right place. Generally speaking, the more it hurts, the better it is.

The thoracic mobility stuff you should be doing are thoracic extensions and scap wall slides. Google them, learn them, perform them daily.

Also, you probably have forward head posture that needs fixed. Look up stretches for your suboccipitals, and an exercise called chin tucks. Start doing these every day.

With respect to the scap wall slides, can i do behind-the-neck band pull-aparts instead? I've had more luck keeping my upper back tight and preventing impingement with those because the resistance band gives you feedback.

With respect to the scap wall slides, can i do behind-the-neck band pull-aparts instead? I've had more luck keeping my upper back tight and preventing impingement with those because the resistance band gives you feedback.

Thanks in advance.

And thank you both for your replies, by the way!

both of those exercises are brilliant, and should definitely be included. I would, however, still do the wall slides. I know how much they suck, believe me, but you will get better at them over time. If you are struggling to keep your back tight doing them, that's precisely the reason you should keep doing them!

Behind the neck pull aparts are ace, and you should do those too, but again I believe they should be done in addition to all the other stuff, not as an alternative.

This is all good stuff by the way, and you've done a good job of researching. Good for you. If you're lucky KPj'll chime in on this, he's the resident shoulder expert.

I've actually looked into these before. The only problem is i don't have a bench. Shameful, i know. Any advice on how i can do them until i get one?

Get a piece of plywood or a 1x10 and a couple of cement blocks.Maybe you could put a piece of 1/2" foam and some cheap vinyl upholstery around the board, staple it in place. Later you could build some legs for it. Then you'd actually have a bench!

_________________Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Just a quick bump to say i did my DB overhead presses today and it felt great. I still need to work on keeping my abs and glutes tight to prevent excessive hyper-extension but my shoulder didn't give me any trouble at all. I'm getting better at the wall slides, and i took your advice and started doing corrective exercises for forward head posture, and i think that's helping too. Thanks, robertscott. It's a relief to feel that progress is possible with these things.

I'm fairly confident that i have protracted shoulders as well as slight impingement. I already do band external rotations and subscap and chest stretches to help remedy these things, but should i add internal rotations and infraspinatus stretching also? I wouldn't want to do it if it's actually counter-productive given my slightly winged scapula, tight internal rotators, and so forth.

Very useful thread, thank you. I have a question: While doing this sort of rehab, are there any exercises I should be avoiding? Obviously not going to do any overhead pressing until I feel I can keep my shoulder locked down, but what about squats/deads/rows? My shoulder shouldn't be coming up and out of its socket, but there is some upper trap activation in all of them.

If you have any pain in performing a movement, don't do it. You really need to pay attention to your body. Many people with shoulder problems have to change their exercise selection. Trap bar deadlifts are easier on the shoulders than back squats and cable rows, done correctly, are generally easier on the shoulders than power shrug style rows.

_________________Stu Ward_________________Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~HippocratesStrength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley_________________Thanks TimD

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